Pressure is mounting on the UK and EU negotiating teams to finalise a post-Brexit trade deal.

Talks went on late into Wednesday evening at the business department in central London.

The two sides are urgently seeking compromises in key areas before current trading rules expire at the end of December.

Fishing rights, competition rules and how an agreement should be enforced remain outstanding issues.

The two sides have been locked in talks since March to determine their future relations once the UK’s Brexit transition periods end on 31 December.

Boris Johnson has said the UK remains “absolutely committed” to “getting a deal if we can”.

Ireland’s foreign affairs minister said there was a “good chance” a deal between the two sides could be agreed in the coming days.

Negotiators got back to work in London on Thursday morning – face-to-face talks have been ongoing since the weekend after a week-long pause.

Discussions had to move entirely online after Mr Barnier was forced into self-isolation after one of his colleagues tested positive for Covid-19.